Those Pink Potatoes

Summers back, friends hosted a backyard potluck, convening spirited folk from the different corners of their lives. The midsummer night was steamy, the kids rambunctious, the trees a rainbow of colored light, the Jimmy Buffet dulcet.

Food-wise, the talk of the party was the ‘pink potatoes’, a delicious make-ahead dish perfect for family dinners and friendly potlucks since it’s good both hot and barely warm. The beets and potatoes remain distinct but also melt together somehow in a tantalizing way.

ALANNA's TIPS I love the perfectly thin and perfectly shaped layers from a vegetable slicer called a Benriner, a Japanese mandoline that sells for $30 to $40. To serve more people, just build five layers of potatoes and beets in a large baking dish with equivalently more cheese and cream.

Kitchen Parade is written by Kirkwood resident Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Send a recipe for a dish with an unusual color to e-mail.

With a vegetable slicer (see ALANNA’s TIPS) or very sharp knife, slice potatoes and beets very thin. Build five layers, three potato layers on the bottom, top and middle with layers of beet between. Season each of the first four layers with salt and pepper; top with a handful of cheese and a splash of cream. Add the fifth layer, season, distribute remaining cheese on top, then carefully pour remaining cream over top, jiggling a bit to help it filter through.

Bake for 60 minutes, pressing to submerge the layers into the liquid after 20 and 40 minutes. Remove from oven. If slicing, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes; if scooping, serve immediately.

Haven't written to you before as I don't get a chance to get on the computer very often but I have to tell you how much I appreciate your recipes. They really are wonderful and I use them all the time. Thank you so much for your effort.

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna